Redcar Bears win as match abandoned

REDCAR Bears’ Tyne-Tees Trophy second leg fixture against Newcastle Diamonds last night was abandoned after 13 heats with the scores at Redcar 50-Newcastle 31 and an aggregate victory over two legs for the Bears by 98 points to 73

REDCAR Bears’ Tyne-Tees Trophy second leg fixture against Newcastle Diamonds last night was abandoned after 13 heats with the scores at Redcar 50-Newcastle 31 and an aggregate victory over two legs for the Bears by 98 points to 73

There was a delay of 25 minutes after heat 12 when a spectator suffered a fit and after treatment the track ambulance had to take him for a transfer to hospital with the riders unable to compete until its return.

Then, when racing resumed, as the riders entered the second bend of the first lap of heat 14 a tangle stopped the action again.

Newcastle’s newcomer Matyas Hlavacek lost control and turned sharply right forcing team partner Mitchell Davey full bore into the safety fence with Davey’s machine careering into the back wheel of Redcar’s Chris Kerr, and flinging the Bear up the back straight.

Although Kerr’s bike was badly damaged he was straight to his feet and while Hlavacek was winded he was up too within minutes, but the extensive attention to the young Australian Davey who was semi-conscious and diagnosed with a suspected fractured hip meant that the mandatory curfew set down for speedway racing at the Motor Park was invoked and no more racing could take place.

During the match itself there was a masterful display from the Bears’ Scottish star James Grieves with four rides and four wins.

James controlled all of his races from the front, while his young team mate Ty Proctor earned the bulk of his points the hard way by pursuing his opponents with great determination and catching those he could pass on the last lap.

Ty earned two exciting heat wins on the line and 17-year-old Josh Auty also had two heat wins to his credit with his outside blasts coming out of the first turn very spectacular indeed.

For the visitors, Josef France - who had missed the first leg at Newcastle on Sunday because of riding commitments in his native Czech Republic- showed what the Diamonds had been missing with a six-point tactical score in heat seven among his 13-point tally.

George Stancl and Jason King also managed a heat win apiece, but the Diamonds had three riders who failed to score. A sign of how strong the performance is of the middle order and reserves for the Bears these days.

For the home fans they had the satisfaction of witnessing the third consecutive victory in this North-East derby competition since Speedway was re-established on Teesside.